1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and a device for suppling electric power to an at least partially implanted active device such as a hearing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to such a process and a device where the electric power is produced by an implanted thermoelectric power converter based on the Seebeck effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
One process and a corresponding device where the electric power is produced by an implanted thermoelectric power converter based on the Seebeck effect have already been proposed generally by H.-J. Wanjura in the article Future Power Supply of Cardiac Pacemakers in Medizinal-Markt/Acta Medicotechnica, 1969, No. 3, pp. 98-100. One specific embodiment is shown in the German reference DE 195 30 382 A1. In that reference, the human body is used as a heat source for an energy converter which preferably consists of a zinc wire and a copper wire. The connection site of the two wires is exposed to a heat source which is preferably the human skin. Irregular voltage generated by the energy converter is then stored by a capacitor. The voltage which has been generated and stored can be sent to a microprocessor which can provide a constant DC voltage.
The use of the Seebeck effect to make available the electric power needed to operate an at least partially implantable active systems such as a hearing device has remained relatively unknown in medical practice. This could be attributed to the fact that the energy values which can be generated with the known devices is insufficient to provide adequate electrical power needed to operate such a device, especially since the temperature difference available to the thermoelectric energy converter is very small when the energy converter is implanted.
Therefore, there exists an unfulfilled need for a process and a device for providing electric power using an implanted thermoelectric converter based on the Seebeck effect. There also exists an unfulfilled need for such a process and a device which will provide adequate electrical power needed to operate an at least partially implantable active systems such as a hearing device despite the very small temperature difference.